Feb 19 2010
Advice
Dear Readers,
At the best of times, the inside of my head looks like a particularly untidy attic. And since I seem to be coming down with a cold or similar (it’s hard to tell when you have allergies; they’re like an unending cold), it’s not the best of times for my two little brain cells.
My brother woke me up from weird dreams this morning (the kind which convince you that you are, in fact, secretly psychotic) to ask me what to do about his cats. Twilley is annoyed at being kept inside and may also be annoyed by the invasion of his petite domain by the new cat.
The new cat is still hiding in the shower, which, apart from hygiene concerns, is concerning.
I think new cats can hide for much longer than 48 hours, but does anyone have any experience with this?
Also, should we let Twilley out? I’m afraid he’ll be all annoyed and take off, but he does know where he lives now and where his food is, so hopefully his little tabby nose isn’t too much out of joint to come back home.
My brother was on his way to work for a 12 hour shift, so I said to leave them both in and I’d check on them later, so that’s what we did for today.
Do let me know your suggestions/thoughts/ideas as soon as you can, either in the comments or by emailing me at sjpeakall AT gmail DOT com.
Thanks from the kitties and the people who love them,
Suzy
Update, Friday, 7 pm: Well, they managed to get out while my brother was at work. ~sigh~ I just went over with a can of food and called them, but needless to say, no response. Left the open can of food on an outside table and hope Jinx will find it. Hope he isn’t too scared to reappear. I’m so sad and I never even met this cat!
3 Responses to “Advice”
Mine have always found a corner they felt safe in and hid for a couple days. Being moved somewhere without being asked would make anyone nervous! He just needs company and comforting. Why not try taking Twilley out on a leash? This was suggested by our vet when we got Tiffy. We really struggled to keep her in. She *hated* it, but every cat is different and if he’s desperate to go out it might be worth trying so he can familiarize himself with his yaard without running off. I also taught Marilyn to come when I whistle and/or shake a box of cat treats. You know the drill, make the noise, give her treat. She never fails to come, which can be useful if you’re worried about them being in the big, wide world. Are they fighting? Twilley might just need to reassured he’s still top-cat.
I’m afraid animals have a mind of their own, locking them up may not always be the best solution. I’m sure if you give it time and leave the door open it may come back to friends and food.
The idea is to keep them in long enough that they know that place is their home and where the food is. Jinx was only there for 48 hours and he hid the whole time, so he might not associate it with friends and safety. Sigh. I can’t believe how upset I am over this.